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United States Patent O 3,203,206 GAS LIGHTER Wolfgang Maltner, Oberstedten, Germany, assignor 'to Heinrich Maltner G.m.b.H., Offenbach am Main, Germany Filed Nov. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 241,105 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 25, 1961,

M 50,987; Nov. 14, 1962, M 54,804

Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

The present invention relates to gas lighters. The term gas lighters is used to refer to lighters of the type used for lighting cigarettes and cigars and which operate by the combustion of a gas without the use of any wick extending into a combustible liquid.

Gas lighters of this type of course have the great fundamental advantage of eliminating the necessity of using a wick and a liquid lighter fluid. However, certain problems arise with this type of lighter. Lighters of this type conventionally include an operator-controlled arm which turns down to a closed position for extinguishing the flame and interrupting the operation of the lighter and which is capable of either being manually moved to a raised position for starting the operation of the lighter or snapping up to a raised position for operating the lighter in response to depression of a suitable member. Of course, it is important that the issuing of the gas from the lighter take place subsequent to the initial movement of the arm upwardly away from its closed position since otherwise there would be a flame from the moment the arm started to move from its closed position, and such a llame Would directly engage the arm and render the lighter unsatisfactory. The necessity of providing such lighters with a mechanism which will delay the opening of the valve until the upper arm of the lighter has moved through a substantial distance from the closed position greatly increases the cost of the lighter since it renders the lighter far more complicated and in addition it makes satisfactory manufacture of lighters under mass production methods extremely difficult to carry out. The result is that in certain types of known lighters the distance through which the upper arm of the lighter moves before release of .the gas is so small as to be entirely unsatisfactory while in other types of lighters where there is a satisfactory delay in the opening of the valve the parts are so complicated and mass production techniques are so difficult to apply that the cost is undesirably high and break downs occur far ltoo frequently. These diiliculties are increased because of the necessity of providing extremely compact structures made up of relatively small elements some of which are required to slide frictionally with respect to each other, and these latter requirements are very diiiicult to meet with mass production methods.

Of course, it is extremely important with gas lighters to be able to maintain a steady flame which will not flicker and which will remain at a given size, and for this purpose such lighters conventionally have adjusting devices which enable the pressure of the combustible gas to be reduced to atmospheric pressure before combustion of the gas takes place. It is desirable to be able to locate the pressure adjusting structure as close as possible to the outlet of the burner, and the same is true of the valve which stops and starts the ilow of gas. Otherwise there becomes located in the space between the pressure adjusting structure or the valve and the outlet of the burner a residual amount of gas which either can slowly escape from the lighter when it is extinguished so as to provide an undesired waste of gas or if it cannot escape will, when the lighter is initially started, suddenly issue through the burner opening to create initially an undesirably large llame similar to the burner of a blowtorch. With con- ICC ventional gas lighter structures it is extremely diicult also to meet these requirements and the distance between the outlet of the burner and the pressure adjusting structure or the valve is unavoidably maintained too great thus giving rise to the above-discussed drawbacks.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a gas lighter structure which will avoid all of the above drawbacks.

Thus, one of the objects of the present inventori is to provide a gas lighter with an exceedingly simple and inexpensive structure capable of being easily and effectively manufactured under mass production methods which at the same time provides an entirely satisfactory control of the flow of gas from the lighter without any danger of undesirable wastage of gas or accumulation of gas which will provide a sudden enlarged llame when the ignition takes place.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gas lighter which makes it possible to eliminate from the operating arm of the lighter such elements as relatively long spring-pressed members used for delaying the moment of ignition.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide a gas lighter structure which will reliably close the gas container even if the primary elements relied on for this purpose do not operate in a completely satisfactory manner.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a gas lighter structure which will prevent undesired gas streams, in addition to the main central gas stream, from forming, and which at the same time will provide a type of gas ow which produces the best possible llame.

With the above objects in view the invention includes, in a gas lighter, a container which is adapted to contain a combustible gas, and a discharge means carried by the container and formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of the container, said discharge passage having a discharge end from which the gas flows when leaving this discharge passage. ln accordance with the present invention there is located at the discharge end of this discharge passage a simple plate. At a side of the plate which is directed away from the discharge passage is located a pressing means, and a control means cooperates with the pressing means to place it in a pressing position pressing against the side of the plate which is directed away from theV discharge passage and urging the place toward the discharge end of the discharge passage, as well as in a non-pressing position where the pressing means relieves the pressure on the plate so as to interrupt the urging thereof toward the discharge end of the discharge passage. The pressing means and the plate cooperate in the pressing position of the pressing means to close the discharge passage and in the non-pressing position of the pressing means to open the discharge passage, so that in this way the How of gas from the container is controlled.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing only that part of the gas lighter which pertains to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a variation of the structure of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a furthe-r variation of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 shows in a fragmentary sectional elevation a further embodiment of a gas lighter constructed according to the present invention, FIG. 4 again showing only that part of the lighter which pertains to the present invention; and

FIG. shows a variation of the structure of FIG. 4.

l Referring to FIG. 1, there is fragmentarily illustrated therein a container 2 which is adapted to contain the combustible gas of the lighter. The top wall or cover 1 of thepcontainer 2 is formed with an opening 3, and a Sleeve 4l is fixed in a fluid-tight manner to the wall 1 passing through the opening 3 thereof, as indicated in FIG. 1. An insert 5 is threaded through the sleeve 4, and at its upper end the insert 5 is provided with an outwardly directed annular flange 6 which engages a sealing ring 7 which is pressed against a shoulder 8 of the sleeve 4, the sealing ring 7 being compressed between the shoulder 8 and the flange 6. The insert 5 is hollow and receives in its interior an adjusting member 13 which is capable of being axially adjusted in the insert 5 for reducing, in a known way, the pressure of the gas in the interior of the container 2 to approximately atmospheric pressure before the gas is ignited. The parts 4, 5, and 13 form a discharge means which is carried by the container 2, and the adjusting member 13 is formed with an axial bore 2@ which forms ia discharge passage for the discharge means, this discharge passage having an upper ydischarge end, as viewed in FIG. 1, from which the gas ows beyond the discharge passage 20 in order to be ignited and form a flame. Part of the adjusting member 13 has a threaded connection with the insert 5 and at its outer periphery the member 13 is provided with teeth 15 meshing with the teeth at the interior of an adjusting ring 16 accessible to the operator so that by turning of the adjusting ring 16 it is possible to control the axial position of the adjusting member 13 and thus control the pressure of the gas which issues from the passage 20, and this adjustment will serve also to adjust the llame.

The upper face of the adjusting member 13 is formed with an annular depression 18 surrounding a raised surface portion 19 located at the discharge end 4of the discharge passage 20, and a plate 21 is located in the upper recess of the adjusting member 13 of the discharge means at the discharge end of the passage 20, engaging the raised surface 19. The plate 21 is preferably made of an elastic, compressible and expandable material such as rubber or the like, and it is formed with a central aperture 22 aligned with the passage so that the gas issuing from the lat'ter will itiow through the aperture 22 to the exterior of the lighter during use thereof. While it is possible to retain the plate 21 in the recess at the upper end of the -adjusting member 13 by frictional engagement betweenthe outer periphery of the plate 21 and the inner surface of the adjusting member 13 at the recess 18 thereof, it is preferred to thread onto the top end of the hember 13 an annular retaining member 17 having an inwardly directed flange 23 overlying the outer periphery of the plate 21 so as to retain the latter in the recess of the member 13, and in addition it will be noted that the retaining member 17 is provided at its lower end with an outwardly directed flange overlying the adjusting ring 16 so as to retain the latter between the retaining member 17 and the ange 6 of the insert 5.

The lighter is provided at its upper end with an operating arm 24 which in a known way is urged by a suitable spring downwardly at its left end, as viewed in FIG. l, when the lighter is not in use, and in a manner well known in the art there is available to the operator an element which the operator presses to release the arm 24 so that it will snap up to a position where its left end, as viewed in FIG. 1, is displaced upwardly to the right from the plate 21, and at this time gas will issue from the lighter and will be ignited in a manner well known in the art. The operating arm 24 carries a name-extinguishing lcap 25 which, when the lighter is not in use, has its lower edge 4 27 in engagement with the lower ilange of the retaining ring 17.

A pressing means is located at the side of the plate 21 which is directed away from the passage 20, and the arm 24 together with the extinguishing cap 25 as well as additional elements described below form a control means for placing this pressing means either in a pressing position, illustrated in FIG. 1, where the pressing means presses against the plate 21 urging the latter against the discharge end of the passage Ztl or in a non-pressing posi- `tion relieving the pressure of the pressing means on the plate 21 so as to interrupt the urging thereof toward the discharge end of the passage 20, and in the pressing position of the pressing means the discharge passage is closed so that gas cannot escape from the interior of the lighter, while in the non-pressing position of the pressing means the discharge passage is open and gas can escape therethrough to the exterior of the lighter to be ignited.

The pressing means in the embodiment of FIG. 1 takes the form of an elongated hollow member 29 having at its bottom end a curved portion 38 provided with a convexly curved surface engaging the side of the plate 21 Which is directed away from the passage 20 and closing the aperture 22 of the plate 21.

The arm 24 is, in a manner known in the art, in the form of an elongated hollow channel member having a top wall and a pair of side wa-lls extending downwardly therefrom, as well as the end wall shown at the left in FIG. 1, and between its side walls the arm 24 lixedly carries a cross-pin 26 which extends through a notch formed in the extinguishing `cap 25 so as to mount the latter on the arm 24. In the interior of the hollow elongated member 29, which forms the pressing means of the embodiment of FIG. 1, is located an elongated coil spring 34) which surrounds a pin 32 and engages the head 31 thereof. The pin 32 is simply situated loosely within the hollow pressing member 29 and is thus urged in the position of the parts illustrated in FIG. 1 against the top wall of the operating arm 24. The pressing member 29 is provided at its upper end with an outwardly directed flange 34 while the extinguishing cap 2S is formed with a shoulder 33 which is in the path of movement of the flange 34 to engage the latter and thus limit the movement of the pressing member 29 by the spring 30.

In the rest position of the lighter shown in FIG. l the aperture 22 is closed by the Wall 38 of the presser member 29, and thus gas cannot escape from the discharge passage 2t). When the lighter is set into operation the arm 24 turns upwardly away from the plate 21, to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, in a manner well known in the art, and during the initial upward turning of the arm 24- the spring 30 will expand so as to retain the wall 38 of the pressermember 29 in engagement with the plate 21, and thus gas will not be able to escape during the initial portion of the opening movement of the arm 24. However7 when the shoulder 33 engages the flange 34 of the presser member 29, the latter will be compelled to move with the operating arm 24, so that the aperture 22 will be uncovered and combustible gas will issue from the container 2. This gas is then ignited in a manner well known in .the art.

Thus, with this exceedingly simple structure composed of a relatively small number of elements capable of being located in an extremely small space it is possible to provide the entire control for the gas dow including the valve structure and the structure for regulating the size of the flame. The provision of a simple plate 21 at the discharge end of the passage 20 of course reliably prevents any accumulation of gas which can either seep out of the burner after use thereof or which can suddenly discharge to cause an undesirably large flame, and at the same time the extreme simplicity of the parts renders them suitable for mass production manufacture.

It should be noted that the aperture 22 which forms the mouth of the burner does not become undesirably heated or damaged during use of the burner, even though the plate 21 is made of a material such as rubber or the like. The cooling action of the expanding gas which ows through the aperture 22 has a far greater influence than the heat of the llame located just above the aperture 22 and fed by the gas issuing through the aperture 22, so that the cooling inuence of the ilowing gas predominates over the heating inuence of the llame and a long operating life for the -plate 21 is assured.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the discharge end of the pasage 20 is enlarged so as to provide the recess 18a of the member 13a with a portion capable of receiving with clearance a disc 35. The plate 21a is thus located in the embodiment of FIG. 2 at the discharge end of the passage 20, but in the enlarged discharge end of the passage 20 is located the disc 35 which -is situated at the underside of the plate 21a which is also formed with the central aperture 22. With the embodiment of FIG. 2 a retaining ring 17 is omitted and instead the flange 23a which extends over the outer periphery of the plate 21a is formed integrally with the adjusting member 13a which corresponds to the adjusting member 13 of FIG. 1. In order to retain the adjusting ring 16 the adjusting member 13a is formed at its outer surface with a peripheral groove receiving the inner periphery of a retaining ring 36 made of an elastic material such as rubber or the like and overlying the inner periphery of the adjusting ring 16 so as to retain the latter in its position connected operatively with the pressure adjusting and flame adjusting member 13a of the FIG. 2. It will be noted that the lower edge 27 of the extinguishing cap 25 of FIG. 2 engages this ring 36.

Except for the above details the embodiment of FIG. 2 is identical with that of FIG. l. The provision of an integral ilange 23a and a separate ring 36 for retaining the adjusting ring 16 and engaging the bottom edge 27 of the dame-extinguishing cap 25 may be preferred in some cases to the retaining ring 17 of FIG. 1.

The great advantage of the disc 35 with the embodiment of FIG. 2 is that it does not limit the closure of the passage 20 to the cooperation between the wall 38 of the presser member 29 and the aperture 22. It may happen, after a considerable period of use, that the lower convex surface of the wall 38 may not seat properly on the aperture 22 and thus the desired effective closure thereof may not be provided for as long as might be desired. With the construction of FIG. 2 the closure of the discharge passage 20 takes place not only by cooperation of the wall '38 with the aperture 22 but also by the compression of the disc 35 between the plate 21a and the surface on which the plate 35 rests in FIG. 2. Thus, it will be seen that engagement between the lower surface of the disc 35 and the surface of member 13a engaged thereby will serve to close the passage 20, while in addition an engagement between the upper surface of the disc 35 and the lower surface of the plate 21a will also serve to close the passage 20, so that the presence of the plate 35 guarantees reliable closing of the discharge passage even after an extremely long period of use of the structure. Of course, due to the compressibility of the elastic plate 21a it is capable of being compressed by the pressing means 29 for placing the plate 35 in its position closing the passage 20, while when the operating arm 24 is turned to the position for setting the lighter into operation the plate 21a will have the pressure thereon relieved and can resume its rest position where the gas can escape around the outer periphery of the disc 35 and then through the aperture 22.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the plate 2lb is provided with a substantially central upwardly extending projection 37 which is formed with the aperture 22 passing through the plate 2lb. Because of the elasticity of the plate 2lb the projection 37 is capable of being axially compressed to a considerable degree and will expand axially to a considerable degree so that its upper end will move through a substantial distance during such expansion when compression of the projection 37 is relieved. With this embodiment the operating arm of the lighter carries no moving elements or spring-pressed elements to form a pressing means and a control means therefor. Instead, the extinguishing cap 25 is simply provided at its central underside portion with a projection which forms the convex surface 38 which in this embodiment forms the pressing means for cooperating with the plate 2lb for closing the passage 20. Thus, when the arm 24 is returned to its rest position the bulging portion 38 at the underside of the flame-extinguishing cap 25 will engage and compress the projection 37 so as to terminate the operation of the lighter and maintain discharge passage 20 closed. On the other hand, when the arm 24 is turned away from the discharge means for setting the lighter into operation, the projection 37 will expand during the initial portion of the opening movement of the arm 24 so as to remain in engagement with the bulging portion 3S and thus with the embodiment of FIG. 3 there also Will be a delay in the opening of the passage 20 during the initial part of the movement of the arm 24 away from its rest position, and this result is attained with the structure of FIG. 3 without the requirement of mounting in the arm 24 axially movable, spring-pressed structure such as the presser member 29 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Otherwise the embodiment of FIG. 3 corresponds to that of FIG. 2. It will be noted that the projection 37 extends through and beyond the ange 23 which may be omitted in the case where the outer periphery of the plate 2lb has sufficient frictional contact with the inner surface of the adjusting member 13 at its upper end, as viewed in FIG. 3.

It should be noted that with the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 it is possible to eliminate the disc 35 by closing the discharge end of the passage 20 and instead providing Ithe passage 20 'with a series of radial bores extending from the passage 20 outwardly from the latter and then having their ends located beneath the plate 21a or 2lb, and of course in this case the discharge end of the passage 20 would not be enlarged to accommodate the disc 35 so that the radial passages at the discharge end of the passage 20 would terminate directly beneath the plate 21a or 2lb. When the pressure on the latter plate is relieved the gas would escape .through these radial passages and then would flow along the underside of the plate 2lb to the aperture 22 thereof, `and the same operation would take place with the structure of FIG. 2. Thus, with this construction when the pressing means presses against the plate 21a or 2lb the ends of the radial bores would be closed by the plate 21a or 2lb so that there also would be a double-action in that closure of the passage 20 would take place not only by cooperation of the part 38 of the pressing means with the aperture 22 but also by cooperation of the underside of the plate 21a or 2lb with the ends of such radial bores.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 4, the container 130 for the combustible gas again has a top wall or cover 102 which is formed with an opening 101 receiving a sleeve 103 which is fluid-tightly xed to the wall 102 passing through the opening 101 thereof, as indicated in `FIG. 4. An insert corresponding to the insert 5 described above is threaded into the sleeve 103, which of course corresponds to the sleeve 4 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and also there is compressed between the upper ange of the insert 105 and the shoulder of the insert 103 a sealing ring 104 which corresponds -to the sealing ring 7 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The hollow insert 105 is provided at a lower interior portion thereof with inner threads 106 which mate with threads at the exterior of an adjusting member 107 which corresponds to the adjusting members 13 and 13a referred to above. Thus, due to the threaded connection between the adjusting member 107 and the insert 105 it is possible .to adjust the axial position of the member 107 in the insert 105. A sealing ring 108 is compressed between the exterior surface of the adjusting member 107 and the interior surface of the insert 105 so that gas cannot pass upwardly by the sealing ring 108. At its upper end the adjusting member 107 isprovided with the teeth 109 meshing with the inner teeth of the :adjusting ring 110 which of course corresponds to the adjusting ring 16 described above and which is capable of being turned by the operator for adjusting the axial position of the adjusting member 107 in the insert 105. A compressible, elastic, porous mass 111 is located between the wall 131 of the insert 105 and the adjusting member 107, and the ease with which gas can pass through the compressible elastic mass 111 is controlled by the extent to which the mass 111 is compressed. Thus, in Ithis manner which is per se known in the art, it is possible to control the llow of the gas from the interior .of the container 130 by controlling the extent of compression of the mass 111. Thus, the axial adjustment of the mem-ber 107 will regulate the llow of gas to the burner.

The structure of the lower portions of the members 13 `or 13a of the insert 5 corresponds to the structure of the lower portion of the member 107 and the insert 105 of FIG. 4, and a similar compressible mass is located in the insert compressed beneath the pressure-adjusting member 13 or 13a.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the adjusting member 107 is formed with a discharge passage 114 and in addition the adjusting member 107 has an elongated tubular` portion 112 surrounding the passage 114 andextendingv upwardly beyond the latter, as indicated in FIG.y 4.

Actually the tubular portion 112 also extends downwardlyv to provide the adjusting member 107 with an inner sur-v face 113 spaced from and surrounding a tubular portion lower end of the passage 114 communicates with a crosspassage 115 in the form of a bore passing transversely through the control member 107. The plate 116 rests directly on-the top end of the tubular portion of adjustthen out through the latter, the frame being formed just' above the tube 119 when the lighter operates. A spring 124 surrounds the tubular portion of adjusting -member 107 which is provided -with the discharge passage 114, and the spring 124 engages the underside of the plate 116 to guarantee that it will be raised from the discharge end of the passage 114 when the pressure of the tube 119 on and maintaining the passage 114 closed.

, of member 107 provided with the passage114. The

ing member 107 which is provided with the passage 114.

Thus, with the embodiment of FIG. 4 there is also located a plate at the discharge end of the discharge passage, and this plate 116 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or the like so that it is also compressible and expandable. A disc or ring 117 is located in the tubular portion 112 in frictional engagement with the inner surface thereof so as to be frictionally held therein, and the member 117 is formed with a central aperture 118 through which a vtube 119 passes in a duid-tight manner, the tube 119 having an exterior groove 120 which receives the inner peripheral portion of t-he flexible disc 117, this disc 117 being also made of a material which is elastic and compressible as well as expandable, such as for example, rubber.

Fixedly located in the interior upper portion of the adjusting member 107 is an apertured cap 121 which retains between the upper end of the adjusting member 107 and a Iflange `of the cap 121 a ring 122 which serves to retain the adjusting ring 110 in its position connected operatively with the adjusting member -107 and which also cooperates with the lower edge of the dame-extinguishing cap 127 which corresponds to the cap 25 described above.

The position of the flexible disc 117, in the rest position of the parts, and the length of the tube 119 are such that the bottom end of the tube 119 presses against the side of the plate 115 which is directed away from the discharge passage 114 so as .to reliably close the discharge passage 114, the tube 119 forming in this embodiment part of the pressing means lfor cooperating with the plate 116 for opening and closing the discharge passage 114 @of the discharge means. It will be noted that the plate 116 is located with substantial clearance in the tubular portion of the adjusting member 107 and that the tube 119 is formed at its lower end with radial grooves 123, so that when the presthe plate 116 is relieved.

lIn a manner similar to the structure described above, the operating arm 129 carries a cross' pin 128 extending through a notch of the llame-extinguishing cap 127 which is formed with an axial bore receiving the elongated member which is urged by the spring 125, in the rest position of the lighter, against the top end of the tube 119 so as to urge the latter downwardly in opposition to the spring 124 to the position pressing against the plate 116 When the lighter is operated the `arm 129 will move away from the position illustrated1 in FIG, 4 and of course the spring 125 will expand to maintain the member 126 in engagement with the member 119, thus delaying the moment when gas issues from the'lighter until the arm 129 has moved through a substantial. distance away from the position thereof shown in FiG. 4. The member 126 together with the extinguishing cap 127 move away from the discharge means when the lighter is oper-ated.

The plate 116, which forms a valve plate, is acted upon .at Vvits underside by the pressure of the gas in the container 130, and this gaspasses through an opening in theY bottom Wall 131 of the insert 105, through the mass 111, along the threads 106, through the transverse bore115, Iand then through the discharge passage 114 to the plate 116. Therefore, when the operating arm 129 isturned to its operating position the pressure .of the gas in the passage 114 augmented by the force of the spring 124 raises the plate 116 from the discharge end of the passage 114 so as to open the latter, and thus the combustible gas can issue through the tube 119 which forms a gas stream providing a highly desirable llame.

At the same time, the gas acts on the underside of the flexibley disc 117 so as to cause it to bulge upwardly.

The tube` 119 will thus move axially inthe tubular portion 112 of the adjusting member 107, and because of the clearance space surrounding the tube 119 both in the tubular portion 113 of the adjusting member 107 as well yas in the opening 132 of the member 121, the tube 119 will not become jammed and free axial movement thereof is guaranteed. Thus, the tlexible disc 117 is free to bulge outwardly during operation of the lighter and it can be provided with a certain amount of compression in its rest position so as to enhance the outward bulging of the element 117 land thus aid in the opening of the lighter.

According to the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 5, the tube 119 is composed of a pair of telescoped portions which are urged by a spring in a direction which increases the length of the tube during the opening movement of the operating arm 1.29, so that in this way it is possible to delay the opening of the passage 114 without requiring the operating arm 129 itself to carry any movable or spring-pressed elements. Thus, it will -be seen that the tube 119 of PIG. 5 has an upper portion provided at its lower end with an outwardly directed flange 133 extending into the lower portion 134 of the tube, the lower portion 134 of the telescoped tube having an upper inwardly directed flange 135 Acooper-ating with the outwardly directed flange 133 to limit the movement of the tubes with respect to each other in a direction which increases the length of the tube of the embodiment of FIG. 5. In this embodiment it is the tubular member 134 which presses directly against the plate 116, and it will be noted that the tubular member 134 is provided in its interior with a stepped bore 136 while the bore 137 of the upper tubular |part of the tube 119 is enlarged at its lower end so as to -be provided with a downwardly directed shoulder 138. Between theshoulder 138 and the shoulder 139 of the tubular member 134 is located a compressed spring 140 which seeks to increase the length of the tubular assembly, and in the illustrated position of the parts the spring 140 urges the lower end of the tubular member 134 :against the plate 116, this lower end of the tubular member 134 being provided with the radial grooves 123 through which the gas passes into the interior of the telescoped tube so as to issue therefrom.

In the embodiment of FIG. the flame-extinguishing cap 127 carried by the arm 129 is provided at its underside with a bulging projection 141 engaging the top end of the tube 119 so |as to compress the upper tubular portion thereof into the lower tubular` portion 134 and thus maintain the parts in the position illustrated in FIG. 5 when the lighter is not in use. Thus, by providing the telescoped tubular assembly in the interior of the pressure adjusting member 107, as indicated in FIG. 5, it becomes possible to eliminate from the operating arm 129 any movable parts or -spring-pressed elements. The upper tubular member of the telescoped tube assembly will move upwardly during the initial opening movement of the 4operating arm 129 until the flange 133 engages the flange 135 to initiate the upward movement of the tubular member 134, and in this way the opening of the passage 124 is delayed with the embodiment of FIG. 5.

With the embodiment of FIG. 5 the adjusting member 107 is formed at its underside with a threaded recess 142 communicating with the pass-age 114 and receiving, threadedly, a plug 107g, so that with the embodiment of FG. 5 a transverse bore 115 is not required, and in this case the gas which flows through the mass 111 passes along the threads of the recess 142 and then into the passage 114.

It will be noted that with the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, because the flexible disc 117 is Huid-tightly pressed .against the tubular portion 112 of the adjusting member 107 as well as against the tube 119, there cannot be any gas streams in addition to that which flows through the tube 119, so that in this way the formation of a flame only from the stream issuing from the tube 119 is guaranteed.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of lighters differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in gas lighters, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from. the lstandpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container for a compressed combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container `and formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said discharge passage having a discharge end; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material engaging said discharge means at said discharge end of said passage thereof, said plate being formed with an opening therethrough communicating with said passage, said opening forming the burner tip of the lighter so that compressed gas passing through said opening will expand to cool the plate about said opening, so as to prevent undue heating of the plate by the ignited gas; pressing means located at that side of said plate which is directed away from said discharge end of said passage; and control means operatively connected to said pressing means for placing the latter either in a pressing position engaging said side of said plate and compressing the latter while urging said plate toward said discharge end of said passage or in a non-pressing position relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging thereof toward said discharge end of said passage, said pressing means when in said pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate for closing said passage to prevent the escape of gas from said container and said pressing means when in said non-pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate to permit gas to escape from the interior of said container through said discharge passage.

2. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including a member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape, said member of said discharge means having an outer end portion formed with a recess with which said discharge passage communicates; a plate of compressible and eX- panclable elastic material located in said recess of said member at an end of said discharge passage, said plate being formed with an opening therethrough communicating with said passage, said opening forming the burner tip of the lighter; pressing means located at that side of said plate which is directed away from said end of said discharge passage; and control means carrying said pressing means movable between a pressing position pressing against said side of said plate and closing said opening and a non-pressing position spaced from said opening relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging of said plate toward said end of said passage, said pressing means and plate cooperating in the pressing position of said pressing means for closing said passage to prevent the escape of gas from the interior of said container and said pressing means in said non-pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate to permit gas to escape from said passage and from the interior of said container.

3. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including a member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape, said member of said discharge means having an outer end portion formed with a recess with which said discharge passage communicates; a plate of compressible and eX- pandable elastic material located in said recess of said member at an end of said discharge passage and frictionally engaging along the periphery thereof said member in said recess so as to be in liuidtight engagement therewith, said plate being formed with an opening therethrough communicating with said passage, said opening forming the burner tip of the lighter; pressing means located at that side of said plate which is directed away from said end of said discharge passage; control means operatively connected to said pressing means for placing the latter in a pressing position pressing against said side of said plate and in a non-pressing position relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging of said plate toward said end of said passage, said pressing means and plate cooperating in the pressing position of said pressing means for closing said passage to prevent the escape of gas from the interior of said container and said pressing means in said non-pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate to permit gas to escape from said passage and from the interior of said container, said pressing means closing said opening when said pressing means is in said pressing position thereof; and a flange carried by said member of said discharge means and extending inwardly beyond the outer periphery of said plate in said recess of said member for retaining said plate in said recess.

4. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including a member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape, said member of said discharge means having an outer end portion formed with a recess with which said discharge passage communicates; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material located in said recess of said member at an end of said discharge passage and frictionally engaging along the periphery thereof said member in said recess so as to be in uidtight engagement therewith; pressing means located at that side of said plate which is directed away from said end of said discharge passage; control means operatively connected to said pressing means for placing the latter in a pressing position pressing against said side of said plate and in a nonpressing position relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging of said plate toward said end of said passage, said pressing means and plate cooperating in the pressing position of said pressing means for closing said passage to prevent the escape of gas from the interior of Vsaid container and said pressing means in said non-pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate to permit gas to escape from said passage and from the interior of said container; and a flange carried by said member of said discharge means and extending inwardly beyond the outer periphery of said plate in said recess of said member for retaining said plate in said recess, said plate having a projection forming the burner tip of the lighter, said projection extending through and beyond said tlange and is engaged by said pressing means and said plate being formed with an opening aligned with said passage and extending through said projection, said pressing means closing said opening when said pressing means is in said pressing position thereof.

5. ln a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a compressed combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including a member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape, said member of said discharge means having an outer end portion formed with a recess with which said discharge passage communicates; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material located in said recess of said member at an end of said discharge passage; pressing means located at the side of said plate which is directed away from said end of said discharge passage; and control means operatively connected to said pressing means for placing the latter in a pressing position pressing against said side of said plate and in a non-pressing position relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging of said plate toward said end of said passage, said pressing means .and plate cooperating in the pressing position of said pressing means for closing said passage to prevent the escape of gas from the interior of said container and said pressing means in said non-pressing position thereof cooperating with said plate to permit gas to escape from said passage and from the interior of said container, said plate frictionally engaging along a peripheral edge portion thereof said member in said recess thereof so as to be in uidtight engagement therewith and being formed with an opening communicating with said passage and through which the gas escapes in the non-pressing position of said pressing means, said pressing means closing said opening of said plate when said pressing means is in said pressing position thereof, said opening forming the burner top of the lighter so that compressed gas passing through said opening will expand to cool the plate about said opening, so as to prevent undue heating of the plate by the ignited gas.

6. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said discharge passage having a discharge end which is enlarged with respect to the remainder of said passage; a plate engaging said discharge means at said discharge end of said passage and having an outer dimension greater than that of said discharge end of said discharge passage so that the outer periphery of said plate is located beyond said discharge end of said passage in tluidtight engagement with said discharge means, said plate being formed with a substantially central opening through which gas can escape from said discharge passage to the exterior of the lighter, and said plate being made of an elastic, compressible and expandable material; a disc located with clearance in said discharge end of said passage, said disc having a diameter greater than said opening of sai-d plate and greater than said remainder of said discharge passage, so that gas flowing out of the latter will flow in said discharge end of said passage around said disc and then through said opening of said plate; pressing means located at that side of said plate which is directed away from said passage and said disc; and control means operatively connected to said pressing means for placing the latter in a pressing position pressing against said plate, covering said opening thereof, and

ressing said plate against said disc and -said disc against the discharge means at the junction between the enlarged discharge end of said discharge passage and the remainder thereof, said control means also placing said pressure means in a non-pressing position uncovering said opening of said plate and relieving the pressure thereof on said disc so that gas can escape from said passage through said opening of said plate when said pressing means is in said non-pressing position thereof.

7. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said passage having a discharge end; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material engaging said discharge means at sa-id discharge end of said passage; pressing means located at that side of said plate directed away from said passage; control means operatively .connected to said pressing means for placing the latter in a pressing position pressing against said plate and urging the latter against said discharge end of said passage for closing the latter to prevent escape of gas from the interior of said container, said control means also placing said pressing means in a non-pressing position relieving the pressure on said plate and interrupting the urging thereof toward said discharge end of said passage; and spring means cooperating with said plate for moving the latter away from said discharge end of said passage when said pressing means is in said non-pressing position thereof, so that in the latter position of said pressing means gas will escape from the interior of said container.

8. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted tocontain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including an elongated discharge member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said discharge passage having a `discharge end and said elongated discharge member having an elongated tubular portion of a diameter larger than and extending outwardly beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material located in said discharge member at said discharge end `of said discharge passage; a flexible disc located in said tubular portion of said discharge member beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage and fluid-tightly engaging said tubular portion of said discharge member, said disc being formed with a substantially central aperture; a tube extending tluid-tightly through said aperture of said exible disc and having one end located adjacent said plate and an opposite end di-stant therefrom; and a manually controlled closure means movable between a closed position engaging said opposite end of said tube and urging said one end thereof against said plate to hold the latter against said discharge end of said passage for closing the latter, said closure means being movable to an open position displaced from said tubular member to relieve the pressure thereof on said plate and thus free said discharge passage so that gas can escape therefrom.

9. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including an elongated discharge member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said discharge passage having a discharge end and said elongated discharge member having an elongated tubular portion of a diameter larger than and extending outwardly beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material located in said discharge member at said discharge end of said discharge passage; a exible disc located in said tubular portion of said discharge member beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage and tluid-tight1y engaging said tubular portion of said discharge member, said disc being formed with a substantially central aperture; a tube extending fluid-tightly through said aperture of said exible disc and having one end located adjacent said plate and an opposite end distant therefrom; and a manually controlled closure means movable between a closed position engaging said opposite end of said tube and urging said one end thereof against said plate to hold the latter against said discharge end of said passage for closing the latter, said closure means being movable to an open position displaced from said tubular member to relieve the pressure thereof on said plate and thus free said discharge passage so that gas can escape therefrom, said tube being located with clearance in said tubular portion of said discharge member and being formed at said one end thereof with radial grooves so that gas escaping from ysaid passage around said plate can flow through said grooves into said tubular member and out through the latter, and said plate also being located with clearance in said tubular portion of said discharge member.

'10. In a gas lighter, in combination, a container adapted to contain a combustible gas; discharge means carried by said container and including an elongated discharge member formed with a discharge passage through which gas can escape from the interior of said container, said discharge passage having a discharge end and said elongated discharge member having an elongated tubular portion of a diameter larger than and extending outwardly beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage; a plate of compressible and expandable elastic material located in said discharge member at said discharge end of said discharge passage; a flexible disc located in said tubular portion of said discharge member beyond said discharge end of said discharge passage and fluid-tightly engaging said tubular portion of said discharge member, said disc being formed with a substantially central aperture; a tube extending Huid-tightly through said aperture of said ilexible disc and having one end located adjacent said plate and an opposite end distant therefrom; and a manually controlled closure means movable between a closed position engaging said opposite end of -said tube and urging said one end threof against said plate to hold the latter against .said discharge end of said passage for closing the latter, said closure means being movable to an open position displaced from said tubular member to relieve the pressure thereof on said plate and thus free said discharge passage so that gas can escape therefrom, said tube being formed by a pair of telescoped portions and including a spring urging said telescoped portions with respect to each other in a direction which increases the length of said tube so that during movement of said closure means from said closed to said open position thereof the length of said tube will increase to delay the opening of said passage beyond the initial movement of said closure means from said closed toward said open position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,948 5/54 Gehrie 67-7.1` 3,132,499 5/64 Rogers 67-7.1 3,144,758 8/ 64 Iketani 67-7.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 860,440 2/ 61 Great Britain. 353,931 7/ 61 Switzerland.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, I R., Primary Examiner.

EDWARD I. MICHAEL, Examiner. 

1. IN A GAS LIGHTER, IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER FOR A COMPRESSED COMBUSTIBLE GAS; DISCHARGE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CONTAINER AND FORMED WITH A DISCHARGE PASSAGE THROUGH WHICH GAS CAN ESCAPE FROM THE INERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE HAVING A DISCHARGE END; A PLATE OF COMPRESSIBLE AND EXPANDABLE ELASTIC MATERIAL ENGAGING SAID DISCHARGE MEANS AT SIAD DISCHARGE END OF SAID PASSAGE THEREOF, SAID PLATE BEING FORMED WITH AN OPENING THERETHROUGH COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGE, SAID OPENING FORMING THE BURNER TIP OF THE LIGHTER SO THAT COMPRESSED GAS PASSING THROUGH SAID OPENING WILL EXPAND TO COOL THE PLATE ABOUT SAID OPENIGN, SO AS TO PREVENT UNDUE HEARING OF THE PLATE BY THE IGNITED GAS; PRESSING MEANS LOCATED AT THAT SIDE OF SAID PLATE WHICH IS DIRECTED AWAY FROM SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID PAS-/ SAGE; AND CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PRESSING MEANS FOR PLACING THE LATTER EITHER IN A PRESSING POSITION ENGAGING SAID SIDE OF SAID PLATE AND COMPRESSING THE LATTER WHILE URGING SAID PLATE TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID PASSAGE OR IN A NON-PRESSING POSITION RELIEVING THE PRESSURE ON SAID PLATE AND INTERRUPTING THE URGING THEREOF TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID PASSAGE, SAID PRESSING MEANS WHEN IN SAID PRESSING POSITION THEREOR COOPERATING WITH SAID PLATE FOR CLOSING SAID PASSAGE TO PREVENT THE ESCAPE OF GAS FROM SAID CONTAINER AND SAID PRESSING MEANS WHEN IN SAID NON-PRESSING POSITION THEREOF COOPERATING WITH SAID PLATE TO PERMIT GAS TO ESCAPE FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE. 